On May 20, 2016 the PPP-debates on the topic “New Russian Law on PPP: Possibilities and Limitations in Transport Sector” that have the format of discussion on questions suggested was held in the framework of the II Annual Research Conference “PPP in Transport Sector: Models and Experience”.

The feature of PPP-debates was the participation of bachelor and master students of “Public Administration” department having the best academic results of PPP studying in 2015-2016. S. Maslova, moderator of PPP-debates, offered questions for discussion related to PPP regulation at Federal and Regional level, necessity and sufficiency of the method of effectiveness assessment of PPP projects and its comparative advantage, establishment of closed list of PPP objects, expediency of the “constructor of elements” of PPP forms, validity of requirements to private partner. Experts also discussed possibilities and limitations of mechanisms of private concession initiative established in the law, its application for joint PPP projects, sufficiency of financial mechanisms, government support measures and measures on management of main commercial and financial risks in PPP projects. Summarizing the results of all discussion, experts were offered to express their opinion in relation to whose possibilities – of private or public partner, the new law expands or limits to a large extent.

Brilliant legal position on many issues discussed was presented by A. Chichkanov, Head of PPP Center of JSC “Gazprombank”. In his opinion, it is expedient to regulate PPP at the federal and regional level, taking into account PPP projects have already been implementing. Herewith, the expert noticed that the optimal variant would be the adoption of a framework federal law providing more flexibility in lawmaking activities in the field of PPP for regions.

The interesting opinion in relation to the method of effectiveness assessment of PPP projects and its comparative advantage was expressed by Bachuki Tsanava, the 1st course student of program “Master of Public Administration”. Bachuki offered to improve the existing method through the use of special social discount rate, which takes into account socio-economic aspects of project realization for calculation of budget investments, both in the case of implementation of PPP project, and in public sector comparator.

Reasoned opinion in relation to many issues was expressed by K. Popov, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Legal Issues of State Company “Avtodor”, who has extensive experience of preparation and implementation of PPP projects both at the federal level, and regional level.

PPP debate covered more than 10 questions devoted to the opportunities and constraints of the new Federal Law of 13.07.2015 N 224-FZ "On Public-Private Partnership, Municipal-Private Partnership in the Russian Federation" in transport sector, the majority of which had the proposed variant of answers. Opportunity to know the opinion of each expert at PPP debates and to display the result of voting on the screen has appeared because of the use of system of interactive anonymous voting.

The statistics of answers to each question, as well as the video recording of PPP-debates are represented below.